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Jackie Lee Houston Shining Stars April 2014

This program rewards individuals that go above and beyond their job responsibilities in exemplifying one of the five supporting commitments. These commitments are Safety, Clinical Excellence, Courtesy & Caring, Healing Environment and Efficiency.

COURTESY/CARING

SITUATION/TASK: One of our patients in ICU was doing poorly. The patient’s husband was unable to visit from their home nearly 40 miles away because he could not afford gas for his car. He was afraid that his wife would die without him being able to hear from her.

ACTION: Rex Catt received permission from his supervisor to drive to the patient’s home to deliver gas money (received as voluntary donations from Rex, Cindy and Kevin).

RESULT: The patient’s husband visited his wife within an hour. He expressed his gratitude to Rex and the other staff for making it possible for him to be with his wife during her illness.

EFFICIENCY

SITUATION/TASK: Our clinic occupies what used to be the Urgent Care clinic that moved to Sunrise & Tahquitz in Palm Springs. We frequently get walk-ins looking for Urgent Care. It has been our policy in the past to provide a map with directions and refer them to the Palm Springs address for assistance. As manager, I was approach by Fidelia explaining the she and Angie had a recommendation for changing our policy, and asked if we would be interested in trying it out. They wanted to know if the next person that came in looking for Urgent Care could be signed up as a “New Patient” for our NP and seen in our clinic, provided: 1) The care the patient required was appropriate for our clinic 2) The patient would be either cash pay or PPO (so as not to violate our HMO contract) 3) The patient would not already have an EMC PCP.

It sounded like a wonderful plan so I checked with our NP, Julie Brownett, to make sure she would be willing to participate in this effort. Her response was “Of course, go ahead and double book me if you need to”. I checked with Ellen Mowbray LVN for Julie Brownett, and she said “Sure, I’ll work them up and get them ready for Julie”.

ACTION: Within an hour of making this decision, a patient walked in looking for Urgent Care because he needed a bug bite assessed. This patient filled out a new patient packet, was seen by Julie, given an antibiotic and instructions for care, and sent on his way. All within an hour.

RESULT: For the patient: 1) He was seeing promptly, as soon as his paperwork was filled out. 2) He was allotted more visit time as a “new patient” in our clinic than he would have received in Urgent Care. 3) His bills as a new patient would be less than it would be at Urgent Care. 4) The patient was not exposed to ill patients in our lobby like could have encountered at Urgent Care. 5) The patient now has an established PCP that can help him manage his care while in residence in our area. 6) The patient was appreciative that he was not turned away and his stress level was greatly diminished.

For the clinic: 1) The clinic has a new patient. 2) Our NP and her LVN are building on their practice within our clinic. 3) We have enhanced our reputation as a clinic and organization that cares about people in our community, makes the effort to serve, and does it quickly and efficiently, without drama.

For Urgent Care: We were able to care for a patient in our clinic quickly that would have otherwise added to the patient wait list at the Palm Springs location.

Win-win-win for everyone.

COURTESY/CARING

SITUATION/TASK: Sandy Lagerson found out that an employee (name withheld to avoid embarrassment) started living in a tent in a nearby park after losing access to housing. The part-time employee had recently had to sell the car to make ends meet and then lost his housing. The employee was using the last of his funds for bus fare to and from EMC.

ACTION: Sandy Lagerson heard of this situation and was generous enough to put the employee up at her own place for a few days, (even while she was in the middle of moving) and also paid for Hotels for him this past week. Kevin Pugmire agreed to let the employee stay in his home, until this person can find a more permanent place. Kevin and Sandy organized a search for a more permanent housing situation. Additionally, Sandy and Kevin took up a departmental collection to help get this person back on their feet a little sooner.

RESULT: This employee was taken off the streets, literally, by an amazingly caring duo of Kevin and Sandy.